Cisco IoT R&D Insights from Patents

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Cisco IoT R&D Insights from Patents
Patents are a good information resource for obtaining IoT R&D status in a company. Followings are some
examples of patents that provide Cisco IoT R&D status: connected car/ITS (intelligent transportation system),
smart grid networks and wireless sensor networks.
Connected Cars/ITS
US20150029987 (SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIRELESS INTERFACE SELECTION AND FOR
COMMUNICATION AND ACCESS CONTROL OF SUBSYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND DATA IN A
VEHICULAR ENVIRONMENT; Cisco)
Abstract: A method in one embodiment includes intercepting a message in an on-board unit (OBU) of a vehicular
network environment between a source and a receiver in the vehicular network environment, verifying the message
is sent from the source, verifying the message is not altered, evaluating a set of source flow control policies
associated with the source, and blocking the message if the set of source flow control policies indicate the message
is not permitted. In specific embodiments, the message is not permitted if a level of access assigned to the source in
the set of source flow control policies does not match a level of access tagged on the message. In further

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embodiments, the method includes evaluating a set of receiver flow control policies associated with the receiver,
and blocking the message if the set of receiver flow control policies indicates the message is not permitted.
Technology Details:
Vehicles can be mobile across a large geographic area, can travel at various speeds, and can include more than one
end user at a time desiring network connectivity. Additionally, vehicles also typically include multiple networking

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technologies for enabling communications to and from machine devices (e.g., entertainment system, vehicle
sensors, actuators, electronic control units, etc.) in the vehicle itself. Providing cost optimized, continuous external
network connectivity in vehicular network environments presents significant challenges to system designers,
automobile manufacturers, service providers, and the like. Furthermore, facilitating secure communication between
disparate in-vehicle network subsystems and controlling information flow across vehicle applications and machine
devices of the subsystems is desirable.
A method is provided for selecting a wireless interface to establish or maintain network connectivity between an
OBU 30 and an external network, thereby creating a "connected vehicle." The method includes evaluating
parameters associated with wireless connectivity, including delay, power consumption, user preferences, location,
time, application requirements, RSSI, BER, SNR, etc. In addition, cost-optimization may also be performed to
determine the most cost efficient connectivity, which may be selected subject to defined policies by a user. The
method also provides for seamless mobility management such that migration of a session from one wireless
interface to another is virtually transparent to the user. Thus, automatic and continuous wireless connectivity to
external networks is achieved, in which network interference is minimized and wireless access cost can be
optimized.
An interconnection device or central hub may be provided to interconnect internal network subsystems. A method
is also provided for applying policy-based access control and segregation between the internal network subsystems,

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in addition to access control between the internal network subsystems and the other internal vehicular networks and
external networks. A method is provided for applying Information Flow Control (IFC) to data from internal
network subsystems and applications processing such data, based on predefined policies associated with the data
and access levels of an entity processing the data.
A method is provided for providing Internet Protocol (IP) mapping information to the controller; establishing a
network session between the electronic device and the remote node through the first wireless interface, wherein
packets of the network session are routed through the controller; intercepting a first message in the electronic
device being sent from a first source to a first receiver; evaluating one or more predefined policies to determine
whether the first source is permitted to communicate with the first receiver; blocking the first message if the first
source is not permitted to communicate with the first receiver, wherein a first subsystem of the vehicular network
environment includes one of the first source and the first receiver; intercepting a second message in the electronic
device being sent from a second source to a second receiver in the vehicular network environment; verifying the
second message is sent from the second source; verifying the second message is not altered; evaluating a set of
source flow control policies associated with the second source; and blocking the second message if the set of
source flow control policies indicates the second message is not permitted.
Related Patents:
US2015015012 (Cloud-assisted threat defense for connected vehicles; Cisco)

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Abstract: In an example embodiment herein, there is provided methods and a system for cloud-assisted threat
defense for connected vehicles. A vehicle suitably includes an on-board computer system for operating and/or
controlling various systems on the vehicle. The on-board computer system suitably operates in connection with or
includes an on-board threat defense module for detecting and protecting against malware attacks and other security
threats to the vehicle. In an example embodiment, a cloud-based security component or security cloud assists with
the detection and protection against security threats and malware attacks to the vehicle while minimizing the
processing load and memory requirements for the on-board threat defense module.
US20100256846 (SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING ELECTRIC VEHICLE TRAVEL; Cisco)
Abstract: An apparatus is provided in one example embodiment and includes a power management module
configured to receive data associated with travel being proposed by an end user of an electric vehicle. The power
management module is configured to suggest a starting time for the travel based on time of use (ToU) rates for
electricity consumption and a current level of power in the electric vehicle. In more specific embodiments, the data
associated with the travel includes a starting location, an ending location, and a proposed drive time. In other
embodiments, the power management module is further configured to interface with a mapping tool in suggesting
the starting time for the end user. The power management module can be configured to obtain the ToU rates from a
utility, and the ToU rates are provided as a function of time.

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US20150222708 (SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPLICATIONS MANAGEMENT IN A NETWORKED
VEHICULAR ENVIRONMENT; Cisco)
Abstract: A method in one example embodiment includes identifying a power state and a battery level of a vehicle.
The method also includes allocating power to critical applications (for example) in response to determining that the
battery level is above a reserve threshold while the power state of the vehicle is engine-off. The method also
includes allocating remaining power in excess of the reserve threshold to non-critical applications according to a
power management policy. The power management policy may comprise at least one of a user power preference
index and an application power preference index.
US20140095058 (AD-HOC MOBILE IP NETWORK FOR INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM;
Cisco)
Abstract: A method and system for intelligently managing a transportation network are provided. The method
includes dynamically establishing an ad hoc data communications network that includes vehicle nodes provided by
respective vehicles in a transportation network. Behavior of one or more of the vehicles can be controlled remotely
in response to automated traffic analysis performed based on real-time information received via the ad hoc network.
Remote control of the one or more vehicles can include controlling vehicle motion by controlling vehicle
subsystems via real-time command data transmitted to the respective vehicles via the ad hoc network.

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Smart Grid Networks
20150200846 (DATA RATE SELECTION WITH PROACTIVE ROUTING IN SMART GRID NETWORKS;
Cisco)
Abstract: In one embodiment, a device communicates with one or more neighboring devices in a shared-media
communication network using a default data rate. The device determines that the default data rate is not supported
by a particular one of the neighboring devices. The particular neighboring device is then associated with a second
data rate that has a lower data rate than the default data rate. The second data rate is then used to communicate with
the particular neighboring device.
Technology Details:
Routing process contains computer executable instructions executed by the processor to perform functions
provided by one or more routing protocols, such as proactive or reactive routing protocols. These functions may,
on capable devices, be configured to manage a routing/forwarding table containing, e.g., data used to make
routing/forwarding decisions. In particular, in proactive routing, connectivity is discovered and known prior to
computing routes to any destination in the network, e.g., link state routing such as Open Shortest Path First (OSPF),
or Intermediate-System-to-Intermediate-System (ISIS), or Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR). Reactive routing,
on the other hand, discovers neighbors (i.e., does not have an a priori knowledge of network topology), and in
response to a needed route to a destination, sends a route request into the network to determine which neighboring

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node may be used to reach the desired destination. Example reactive routing protocols may comprise Ad-hoc On-
demand Distance Vector (AODV), Dynamic Source Routing (DSR), DYnamic MANET On-demand Routing
(DYMO), etc. Notably, on devices not capable or configured to store routing entries, routing process may consist
solely of providing mechanisms necessary for source routing techniques. That is, for source routing, other devices
in the network can tell the less capable devices exactly where to send the packets, and the less capable devices
simply forward the packets as directed.

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Smart Grid Networks for the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) applications may be configured to use a
proactive routing strategy instead of a reactive strategy. In other words, the network may be configured to
proactively maintain routes for all devices using a low-rate, periodic reporting traffic model. In particular, the
dominant traffic model for many devices in Smart Grid AMI networks is to periodically transmit messages towards
the Field Area Router (FAR) with a relatively long period (e.g., every 30 minutes to several hours). Existing
processes, such as the IEEE P1901.2 Adaptive Tone Mapping process, provide sub-optimal performance in these
types of proactive routing systems. For example, such a low traffic rate may mean that the vast majority of traffic
would be sent using ROBO mode. Furthermore, these types of packets would be sent with the TMREQ bit set,
generating a TMREP providing transmission parameters that will be aged out before they are used again. Thus, the
network would be wasting significant resources by sending data packets using ROBO mode and generating useless
TMREP messages.
The New techniques provide for a significant performance improvement over the data rate adaptation method
currently proposed in IEEE P1901.2 for networks that rely on proactive routing. Unlike reactive networks,
proactive networks are much better suited for low-rate periodic reporting that is typical in Smart Grid AMI
networks. Low-rate periodic reporting does not offer significant opportunities to amortize the cost of a conservative
approach that defaults to using the slowest data rate (e.g., using ROBO). Instead, network devices may default to
using a high data rate to establish and maintain connectivity, only resorting to a low data rate when needed to

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establish network connectivity. Accordingly, the number of low data rate transmissions and overhead of sending
unneeded Tone Map Request/Reply messages is significantly reduced. Utilizing higher data rates also reduces
channel utilization and collisions, especially due to the hidden terminal problem, resulting in a more effective
network overall.
Related Patents:
US20140146816 (SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING SMART GRID COMMUNICATIONS AND
MANAGEMENT; Cisco)
Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a request for a service that
involves phasor measurement unit (PMU) data; identifying a service device in a network to perform the service;
and multicasting one or more results of the service to a group of subscribers identified by a multicast group address.
In more particular embodiments, particular PMU data is redirected to the service device via a service insertion
architecture (SIA) protocol. In addition, the service can include replicating packets and masking a subset of traffic
for forwarding to a first hop router of the network. In certain example instances, metadata is used in order to apply
the service to certain traffic propagating in the network.
US20120323381 (Security Measures for the Smart Grid; Cisco)
Abstract: Security is enabled in an electrical system by examining a configuration file for a substation present in
the electrical system, where the substation includes one or more electrical devices and one or more network devices.

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Based on the examination of the configuration file, information is determined on a characteristic of an electrical
device that is selected from a group including a type, allowed role of the electrical device and allowed
communication modes for the electrical device. Based on the determined information, a basis for controlling the
role and communication modes for the electrical device is identified. A security policy is configured in a network
device in the substation to incorporate the identified basis. Based on the configured security policy in the network
device, communication patterns for the electrical device are allowed that are associated with the allowed role and
allowed communication modes for the electrical device.
Wireless Sensor Networks
US20150071255 (Sensor Data Transport and Consolidation Within Communication Nodes in a Network; Cisco)
Abstract: In one embodiment, sensor data is transported in a network to a rendezvous point network node, which
consolidates the information into a consolidated result which is communicated to the destination. Such
consolidation by a network node reduces the number of paths required in the network between the sensors and the
destination. One embodiment includes acquiring, by each of a plurality of originating nodes in a wireless
deterministic network, external data related to a same physical event; communicating through the network said
external data from each of the plurality of originating nodes to a rendezvous point network node (RP) within the
network; processing, by the RP, said external data from each of the plurality of originating nodes to produce a

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consolidated result; and communicating the consolidated result to a destination node of the network. In one
embodiment, the network is a low power lossy network (LLN).
Technology Details:

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Deterministic networks rely on a set of predetermined time slots, which define at least a time (and possibly
frequency to use especially in a wireless deterministic network), when each specific node can communicate a
packet to a second specific node in the deterministic network. With reference to the figure in a time-slotted
wireless deterministic network 200, one or more path computation engines (PCEs) 212 is used to compute the path
(e.g., physical path and time slots) between each source S (sensor) 221-223 and the RP 251, and a single path from
RP 251 to the destination (application host 211). PCE 212 computes the time slots and frequency channels used by
each network hop, or some analogous abstraction that can be used by a more specific device to derive those.
By advertisement, configuration or by other means (e.g., from a network management system), PCE 212 discovers
all sources 221-223 that will be deriving and sending external data related to a same physical event (data that is not
related to a communication node, but to an external event). PCE 212 also discovers one or more rendezvous points
(RPs) 251 in network 200 that can be used to consolidate the multiple external data into a single consolidated result.
PCE 212 discovers these rendezvous point(s) 251 by their advertisement, configuration or by other means (e.g.,
from a network management system).
Extensions to Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) or Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP), or
another protocol are used by network nodes to report to the PCE their nature (e.g., type of sensed data and location)
and whether they could add an aggregator for the type of sensed data. Without consolidation by an RP in the
network, there would need to be n independent paths determined and configured in the network to report the

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external data of n sensors 221-223 to the destination 211. Using RP 251 to consolidate this n external data into a
single consolidated result greatly reduces the communication overhead of the network. There are n paths to RP 251
from sensors 221-223 (one path for each sensor), and one path from RP 251 to destination 211.
Related Patents:
US20120026890 (Reporting Statistics on the Health of a Sensor Node in a Sensor Network; Cisco)
Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes generating a set of statistics concerning a sensor node in a sensor
network based on one or more of sensor data from a sensor at the sensor node, communication to the sensor node
from one or more other sensor nodes in the sensor network, or communication from the sensor node; determining
based on a subset of the set of statistics whether a predetermined anomalous event correlated with the subset has
occurred; and, if the predetermined anomalous event has occurred, generating a summary of the subset and
communicating it to a police node in the sensor network.
US20120197856 (Hierarchical Network for Collecting, Aggregating, Indexing, and Searching Sensor Data; Cisco)
Abstract: In particular embodiments, a system includes a sensor-data-collection network layer including multiple
sensors. The sensor-data-collection network layer is a first logical layer of a sensor network. The system includes
an aggregation network layer including one or more aggregators configured to access sensor data from the sensors
and aggregate the sensor data. The aggregation network layer is a second logical layer residing logically above the
first logical layer. The system includes an indexing network layer including one or more indexers that are

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configured to access the aggregated sensor data and generate an index of the aggregated sensor data according to a
multi-dimensional array. The indexing network layer is a third logical layer residing logically above the second
logical layer. The system includes a search network layer including one or more search engines. The search
network layer is a fourth logical layer residing logically above the third logical layer.

Cisco IoT R&D Insights from Patents

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